Brian's Choice

From Brian Williams' Aug. 31 Daily Nightly blog: "In one of those confluences of work and personal life, I am just back from a trip to drop our son off at college, officially making us 'empty nesters' in our house. While I was able to make it to Hyannis Port last Wednesday to cover the death of Senator Kennedy, it meant being away from work Thursday and Friday. I was able to fly to Washington Saturday morning to anchor our coverage of the funeral, before flying back to my son's school to complete the handover and say final goodbyes. My theory is this: I highly doubt that I will have deathbed regrets over not having worked a given Thursday and Friday, a major news story notwithstanding. However, I do think I would regret living with the knowledge that I hadn't been there when we took our youngest off to college...to get the college degree his father never got. This episode, while painful and confusing at times, is also evidence that I work for good people who have families of their own. My bosses understood the tug of circumstances and the demands on my time and attention, and they were beyond great about it.We're in the period now where its back to work, back to school, issues start taking on a new weight and importance -- and so we begin a new week in a new month. We hope you can join us tonight."

My goodness, Brian--"painful and confusing"? A little too much drama here. This isn't exactly "Sophie's Choice". Fine, great--take your kid to college--do what you need to do. But why do you feel like you have to involve us in the minute details of your decision-making process? TMI (Too Much Information). Obviously you are feeling guilty for missing work. It happens to everyone. Deal with it--on your own, please. And here's a news flash: It doesn't matter one bit who is anchoring. If it's not you, it's Lester Holt or David Gregory or Carl Quintanilla or someone else. So if you miss work, there's always a warm body to read the news off the teleprompter. You're not irreplaceable. Get over yourself.